BILL NUMBER: ACR 156	CHAPTERED  09/18/00

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   139
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 18, 2000
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   AUGUST 28, 2000
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 24, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 7, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   JUNE 20, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Frusetta

                        APRIL 11, 2000

   Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 156--Relative to television
violence.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 156, Frusetta.  Television violence.
   This measure would urge the entertainment industry to think
seriously about the impact that violence has on the healthy
development of children.




   WHEREAS, The entertainment industry plays a significant role in
determining the content and subject matter of television programming,
which, according to experts, has a significant influence on
children; and
   WHEREAS, Television is bringing an ever increasing amount of
violence into the American home given that 25 percent of prime time
programming contains very violent material according to the National
Coalition of Television Violence; and
   WHEREAS, The portrayal of violence has steadily worsened over the
years, with the violence during prime time actually tripling during
the decade of the 1980's, as reported by the American Academy of
Pediatrics; and
   WHEREAS, Television programming targeted at children is especially
violent, with over 30 acts of violence per hour--an all-time
high--according to a University of Pennsylvania study; and
   WHEREAS, The average child will watch 8,000 murders and 100,000
acts of violence on television before he or she finishes elementary
school; and
   WHEREAS, The National Institute of Mental Health states that
violence on television leads to aggressive behavior by children and
teenagers, who then, according to overwhelming evidence, tend to
emulate the behavior they see on television; and
   WHEREAS, The violence on television and its destructive impact on
children is manifesting itself in greater incidences of juvenile
criminal activity at school or in our communities; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
urges the entertainment industry to think seriously about the impact
that violence has on the healthy development of children; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the major television and entertainment companies.
